OPENING the third day of London Fashion Week, Jonathan Anderson unveiled his autumn-winter 2024 collection for his eponymous label, JW Anderson.
Hosted at Seymour’s leisure centre, the Irish designer invited onlookers to the prestigious swimming and climbing centre to present his latest playful pieces. As guests entered the venue and were met with the echoing sounds of sneakers squeaking across the floor’s surface, an atmosphere of intense anticipation and excitement was building.
Basing his latest collection upon principles of quintessential British nostalgia, the seasonal offering met at the intersection of the grotesque and the glamorous. Presenting looks that, despite having been intentionally mal-constructed, exemplified the underbelly of forgotten British cultural histories and narratives, Anderson explored the beauty in imperfection and impractical volumes.
“In lieu of the sensational, the non-apparent. Rather than notoriety, being secretive. An inquiry into dressing as a psychological act, looking next door. The subtle and the loud. A grey wig as a device. And flats. Housewife flats. Grotesque everydayness, in grotesque distortions and proportions,” reads the show notes.
As models paraded down the runway in a series of grey curled bob wigs and slicked-back pixie cuts, a series of themes and motifs became progressively apparent. Starting with vibrant, bold detailing, Anderson adorned many looks with colourful garlands which were attached to the waist.
Meanwhile, belts constructed using red, green and yellow flowers worked in tandem with garland-style skirts, adding further movement and exaggeration to the collection.
Similar flowers had been scattered across the venue floor to create a parade-like experience, where the new garments were explicitly celebrated and honoured.
For AW24, the creative director has also looked to knots for inspiration. Playing upon flawed forms, the knot was used to contort dresses and create unnatural, provocative shapes.
Cotton slips were plaited to add further exaggeration around the waist, while woollen fabrications were tucked and transformed into belt-like knots. As a result, the knots became even more important with the arrival of dresses and bags made entirely using the knotting technique.
Having played into a similar fascination with the crude and imperfect for spring-summer 2024, Anderson’s AW24 collection was a perfect continuation of his infamously energetic style.
There are not many out there who can easily combine incredible craftsmanship with conceptual prowess and trailblazing techniques. Yet, Anderson does just that.
by Sophie Richardson